Adjustments and Instincts
by LadyCressa
Summary: Chichi feeds Goku's wild side. A request for CharismaticBeauty.
1. Adjustments

_**Part I: Adjustments**_

I stood at the sink washing the usual massive pile of dishes while watching out the window for Goku. He was due back home any minute from his spar with Vegeta and I knew he'd be hungry. He always was. Even though he was a kid again – no thanks to a mistaken wish – he still hadn't lost even one iota of his prodigious appetite. One would think with a smaller frame, his stomach would have shrunk accordingly but no, his appetite was just as huge as it always was.

I sighed.

While training that Uub kid, he had returned for a visit every month or two and would stay for a couple of days and then would leave again. One visit about ten years into Uub's training, he cheerfully told me the next time I saw him, he'd be back for good and wouldn't have to leave again.

I had no idea he'd come back as a child. He wasn't expecting that either. I remembered that day vividly. He didn't seem too happy about it at first, but he was the kind of person that was rarely truly fazed by anything. He just took it in his stride and quickly seemed to get used to being a kid again while I almost had a heart attack when I first saw him like that.

Over a year had passed and I adjusted to his new transformation and what that meant. He looked and sounded identical to what he did when we were both twelve and had just met for the very first time, tail and all. While I… very much did not. I was a grown woman – an _aging_ grown woman.

The wish had consequences, even if it wasn't his fault. Goku ended up sleeping in Goten's room after that. I never signed any divorce papers. I couldn't. How in the world would I explain the situation to a divorce attorney, anyway? I knew my heart would always be his, regardless of what he looked like on the outside and his heart would always be mine.

I'd just have to… wait for him to grow up. Of course, when he hit his twenties, I'd be in my eighties. There was always Other World – a place where I'd be young again for all of eternity. He told me many years ago he pulled a few strings while up there those seven years after Cell and convinced King Yemma and a few others to let me keep my body when it would be my time so then we really could be together forever when he joined me however many centuries later.

 _Centuries._

He was a child again! That already added more to his lifespan. Goku didn't really dwell on such things either way, but he knew he would out live me by a long shot mistaken wish or not. He stopped aging at around twenty-five and when I did not… oh, there were many nights when I wondered… _Would_ he wait for me when I _went_ and he had centuries?

Goku was still Goku, child or not. He didn't really think of those sorts of things. I supposed the difference really wasn't _all that_ drastic. He was always such a child at heart, anyway. After that wish, his outside matched his inside, but that didn't stop me from missing the man he used to be. When those strong arms of his were locked around me, nothing could tear us apart. At least, that was it _felt_ like. I was wrong, very wrong. Things _did_ tear us apart, sometimes separating us for years at a time.

Yet, he returned. He always came back somehow. It just… sometimes took a lot longer than I think either of us liked and sometimes he would come back different than he was. I loved him anyway and I knew he loved me, too.

He had been spending much more time away from home as a kid. I didn't think he was avoiding me in my old age. At least, I hoped he wasn't. I _was_ in my sixties, after all. I wasn't exactly a spring chicken anymore. He had told me before, years ago – when I started really aging and he still didn't look a day over twenty-five – that he would love me no matter what and I believed him and treasured his words.

Since he was a kid again, _was_ he avoiding me?

"Chichi! I'm home!"

His higher pitched, raspy voice reached me just as I heard the front door close.

"Hi, Goku. I'm in the kitchen."

He walked in and immediately a loud rumble sounded, rattling the windows and everything in the kitchen. Somehow, that sound was louder than it normally was when he was an adult. I had no clue why that would be.

The sound stopped making me jump decades ago. In fact, the sound stopped making me jump within the first year of our marriage. It was just so quintessential Goku. The sound was even comforting some days.

I looked at him and gave him an amused smile.

He blushed slightly and reflexively rubbed the back of his head. "Heh, heh."

"I take it you're hungry."

He nodded vigorously, an eager smile on his young, angelic face. That expression never changed. I could see that exact same expression on two other little faces in my memories of times long since passed.

I turned around and pulled some stuff out of the fridge for him and set a couple of pots on our stove to reheat the food. While digging through the fridge, the door giving me shelter, I took the opportunity to wipe a tear off my cheek.

After a few minutes, all of his favorite foods were warmed up and ready to serve him. He voraciously dug in like he did every meal. His food had his full attention as he quickly cleaned plate after plate while I stood at the ready with a large pot of tea to keep him topped off. There were things I did well even in my old age. I was still plenty capable of feeding all of my boys whenever they graced my table.

That day, it was only Goku and me. He had even returned home a little earlier than he normally would have from his usual spar with Vegeta, saying he just wanted to spend time with me and that he had something to show me. He refused to say more than that.

I filled his cup up one last time as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach.

"That was great! Thanks, Chichi!"

"You're welcome, Goku."

He belched.

I put my hands on my hips. "Excuse you, buster. Remember, that _does not_ belong at my table!"

He merely giggled. "Oops! Sorry, Chichi!"

It was hard enough to stay mad at him when he was an adult. It was danged near impossible to stay angry with him as a child. I just rolled my eyes and turned away from him to hide the small smile tugging at my lips I was quickly losing the fight against.

I heard his chair scrape against the floor. "Thanks for the meal, Chichi! Want to go for a walk with me? I could use some sunlight after that."

I turned back around to see him standing next to me, a hopeful look on his face.

I quickly but gently stacked up as many dishes as I could carry. "Sure, Goku. Let me get this cleaned up, then we will go."

"Okay! Then I can show you my surprise for you!"

I took my stack to the sink and started scrubbing. I had just finished scrubbing his breakfast dishes when he got home and asked for more food.

That was just life with a saiyan.

The sound of ceramic plates being stacked reached my ears. What was going on? I turned back around to see Goku building a four-foot tall tower of dishes, hovering as he gently balanced the last plate precariously on top. He lowered himself to the floor and that tower swayed as he lifted it.

My eyes went wide. "Goku–!"

"Don't worry, Chichi!"

Those three simple words out of that mouth always had the exact opposite effect he intended for them to have. My heart sped up a little bit as my hand reflexively twitched toward the swaying tower of dishes in his small hands.

He quickly discovered walking with such a tower was no easy task, his steps beginning to grow erratic as he fought to keep it balanced. My heart was ready to stop.

He lifted his short self in the air a foot and drifted toward the sick, the tower much steadier. He deposited his stack in the other side of the sink, never breaking a single one.

I stared at him, my jaw slack and my eyebrows got to know my hairline. He looked very, very proud of himself, his chin held high – as high as it could go at any rate.

The general effect on that little body of his was actually funny and I laughed.

He looked perplexed. One eyebrow was raised while the other was pulled down slightly, his head tilted to one side – another expression that hadn't changed one little bit. "What's so funny?"

I just shook my head and stifled another giggle. Not a drastic change, indeed.

My spirits felt lifted just having him nearby and safe, even if he was a kid again. Having him home safe was all that mattered.

I turned to the sink and began the long task of scrubbing the two giant towers of dishes.

He hovered next to me, high enough to be eye level with me – which was only a couple of feet off the floor for him since I was barely at five feet, four inches tall – grabbed a scouring pad and started scrubbing.

I stared at him again, shocked once more by what he was doing. He so rarely helped with the dishes.

The sharp, loud sound of ceramic shattering shook me from my shock. My eyes narrowed and a vein popped out of my forehead as I turned to face him.

Goku cowered, shrinking away from the sink and dropping back to the floor. He held his hands up, palm out. "Sorry, Chichi! I was just trying to be helpful!"

That brought me up short and I felt my temper flare sizzle out.

Helpful? Him? Since when? I crossed my arms and eyed him suspiciously.

Rarely, he would try to help just to be sweet, but I would usually end up pushing him away because he _always_ broke too many dishes. The other times when he helped me clean, it was because he was about to drop a bomb on me and he thought helping me clean would soften the blow.

I bent down to get into his face and crossed my arms. "What is it this time? Is there another hugely powerful bad guy out there threatening the planet? Do you have to _leave_ again?"

I stopped and repeated the last words I said in my mind. _Did_ he have to leave again?

He was intensely fascinated by his shoes.

My mind started spinning out of control and my next words slipped out of my mouth in barely more than a whisper. "You really _are_ leaving again, aren't you?"

I couldn't stop the tears that sprang to my eyes and the lump that formed in my throat as I straightened up.

He looked back up at me and lifted himself into the air again so we were eye level and stared into my eyes. When he spoke again, his words were uncharacteristically calm and very serious.

"I'm _not_ going anywhere, Chichi."

In those rare moments, when he was so serious like that, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was telling me the truth.

I blew out a breath as the lump in my throat shrank, but still eyed him suspiciously. "Then what is it, Goku? You're hiding something."

He gave me a small, playful smile. "I already told you! It's a surprise! If you come with me, you'll find out."

With that, he flew out of the kitchen and I heard the front door open.

I glanced at the sink still full of dishes and the shattered plate on the floor. I huffed then raced out after him as fast as I could without hurting myself.

He stood waiting for me about ten feet from the front door.

I frowned as I caught up to him. "Whenever you're done with this little game you're playing, you _will_ help me with the dishes! Heaven help you if you break one more, Son Goku!"

He held out his hands palm out again like he had in the kitchen. "I promise, I'll help you with the dishes. Now come on! Let's go!"

He seemed oddly excited as he trotted off into the woods.

I stretched a bit and took off after him, pleased to feel how easily and painlessly my muscle still glided and stretched over my bones with every step I took. I was in my early sixties, but still in very good shape.

We dodged and weaved through the trees, holding to a narrow, winding game path. He kept up the steady pace until we reached a small clearing full of wildflowers, their wonderful aroma reaching my nose. The blooms were various shades of bright red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, and swaying in the gentle breeze, waving in a dazzling rainbow of color.

"Oh, Goku! They're beautiful!"

I glanced around me.

"Goku?"

I was alone. Utterly alone.

Confused and a little hurt, I bit my lip wondering what his big idea of leading me out there was when I felt a small earth quake. We had earthquakes in the mountains. A little earthquake wasn't worrying.

A minute later, I felt an unnerving sensation of being watched.

I glanced around me more seriously, squinting into the shadows. I didn't see anything but subconsciously shifted into a fighting stance anyway. There were wolves and various large ferocious cats in our woods. They generally tended to leave the boys alone, having had their tails whipped on many occasions from choosing to pick on any one of the trio of saiyans.

I was strong in my own right, but no match for mountain lions or wolves. I was only human. I was fair game. I glanced around for the nearest climbable tree and spotted one with branches low enough that I could reach about twenty feet away from where I stood in the center of the small clearing.

I learned early on taking walks in these woods that trees were safety when Goku wasn't with me. The wolves and lions in our area couldn't climb. They could jump, but not climb and as long as I found a good stable perch high enough, I was safe until either they gave up and left or Goku – or one of our boys – showed up to rescue me. Dinosaurs weren't usually in our neck of the woods so I would be safe from anything airborne as well.

I turned toward it and bunched my legs up, prepared for a mad sprint to safety, hoping I could outrun whatever it was that was watching me.

That creepy sensation of being stared at intensified as a chill went down my spine and the hair on the back of my neck rose. I knew whatever beast that was eyeing me for its next meal was right behind me.

I turned very slowly on the spot.

My heart almost painfully shuddered to a stop and I felt my blood run cold and drain from my face. My eyes became saucers as I clapped a hand over my mouth. My breath was caught in my throat, leaving my scream stuck, too.

I subconsciously took a step back as I stared at the predator fifteen feet in front of me. Too close. _Much_ too close. I would not have made it to that tree.

Standing fifteen feet in front of me was Sasquatch with strange dark red fur.

I had heard legends from an elderly couple we met who lived on the other side of our large mountain range when Goku and I were newlyweds and out exploring far from home one day. I thought they were crazy and politely told them so.

They were serious.

As I stared at the beast in front of me, I ate my words, as I was sure I was about to become lunch myself.

I slowly slid another foot backwards, but the beast didn't move a muscle. I could feel its eyes drilling into me. I hoped whatever it was getting ready to do… it would make it quick.

It still didn't move. It didn't even twitch. It was just watching me so maybe it was more curious than hungry. I really had no idea.

Upon noticing that strange behavior, my eyes looked at it in more detail. I'd never be able to outrun it anyway. Up to that moment, I had only noticed the thick but short fur covering its arms and chest.

My eyes moved down. Since when did Sasquatch wear pants? Then I noticed another strange feature: Sasquatch had… a tail.

I looked back up and traced one of its arms with my eyes and found a strangely human looking hand. A hand that was oddly familiar…

My eyes darted up to the beast's face.

Piercing, inhuman, red-rimmed, yellow eyes met my gaze.

My eyes roved up to his hair.

 _His._

His hair was fairly long, reaching his shoulders in unwieldy jet-black spikes, but nothing like the length of brilliant golden hair when he was a Super Saiyan 3.

I read his expression. His lips were turned up amusedly, the look strangely contrasted with the intensity of his eyes. I looked closer at his eyes. His eyes. The color and sharp angle of his brow were intense, but his eyes were soft and relaxed.

My lips mouthed his name but I couldn't make any sound come out.

The corners of his lips pulled up a little higher. "Hi, Chichi."

His deep, slightly throaty voice reverberated through my bones and made the little hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

I shifted a foot forward and took my first hesitant step toward him and then another. My heart hammered painfully against my chest as I became utterly captivated by his piercing yet loving eyes, drawing me toward him.

I continued slowly forward while Goku held stock-still, my eyes never leaving his.

Finally, I was close enough to reach out and touch him and I did so. I ran my fingers through the surprisingly soft, silky fur on his abdomen and traced my hand up to his exposed pectorals. The exposed skin there felt the same as it always did, slightly leathery and rock hard but still very warm.

One hand on his chest, I slid my other hand slowly up to his shoulder and slid my hand down the length of his fur-covered arm toward his hand. I reached the end where the fur stopped just short of his hand.

My hand found his and our fingers intertwined. I squeezed his hand.

His hands felt exactly the same. So very gentle with me but tough enough to beat the toughest of evil into submission, slightly scarred and callused from the evidence of his many fights.

I looked up at his face, his piercing eyes full of love and a glint of something else. Something inhuman. Something predatory.

I shifted my other hand that rested on his chest toward his face and stroked his cheek. The skin of his face felt exactly the same as before that stupid wish, slightly leathery like his hands, but smoother and very warm. His eyes drifted closed, and he sighed, utterly relaxed.

A deep, continuous rumble caught my attention, vibrating through his chest as I stroked his cheek, the sound reminding me a little of a cat. He was actually… purring. It was just about the sweetest thing ever.

I moved my hand a little higher and into his strangely soft and very thick hair. My fingers slid down his hair and through the locks that hung over his shoulder.

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and my eyes locked on his tail, the appendage swaying slowly to and fro somewhat like a content cat's.

I reached the end of his hair and my hand continued its journey back down to his chest.

A deep sigh escaped him and I glanced back up at his face. His eyes were still closed and his lips held a small, relaxed smile.

My hand slipped around the outside of his arm.

With each gentle sway of his tail, my hand moved closer. Then, it was within my reach.

I darted my hand out and caught the tip of it in a light grip.

The effect the simple, light touch had on him was instantaneous.

His body went utterly rigid the same second I felt his fur bristle and the rumble from deep in his chest stop. I looked up at his face. His eyes were wide and staring at me. His jaw was clenched almost painfully tight, so tight I wondered how he wasn't cracking all of his teeth.

The hand that wasn't holding mine was balled up into a tight fist. The one that _was_ holding mine twitched slightly, like he was fighting the urge to do the same with that hand. I pulled my hand away and immediately that hand was a tight fist, too, both arms rigid against his sides.

I bit my lip to hide an amused smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. I knew his other forms made his already sensitive senses even more so. This form must be even worse – or better – for him.

I brought my other hand around and ran my fingers through the even softer fur of his tail, the simple stroke bringing a shudder out of him as his fur stood on end.

I felt his eyes boring into me. I lifted my face to look into his eyes and raised an eyebrow, a small seductive smile playing on my lips.

Through his tightly clenched jaw, he breathed, "Careful with that."

I gave his tail a slight, experimental tug, working off of a particularly vivid memory when we first met as kids and his knees hit the ground, hard.

He snarled a deep, throaty snarl, so low pitched it reverberated through my bones. " _Come. Here. Now."_

The words seemed to go directly into my head in addition to reaching my ears, his tone clipped.

Just as he reached toward me, I dropped his tail and sprang back a couple of paces.

He actually looked a little bit irritated with me, showing more teeth and his brow pulled down further. He looked distinctly hungry – and for once, not for food – and very irritated I was denying him the thing he was so desperate for. The expression was so unlike Goku, I couldn't help but giggle at his obvious discomfort.

I may have giggled but my heart galloped in my chest, urging me to _get away_ from my hunger-crazed beast of a husband.

He usually loved it when I got playful with him. He told me once when we were newlyweds when he returned home with game one night that he loved the thrill of the hunt. Later that night, I got creative and gave him something entirely different to hunt. He loved it.

That night, the little game I started exposed a side to Goku that I had no idea was there. A side to Goku that… actually scared me a little bit at first. The way he eyed me… it was almost animalistic. I had no idea what that was about at the time. Since he was my first, I had nothing else to go off of, but something told me other men didn't get quite _that_ way in the bedroom – at least not to the same level as Goku.

The effect was only temporary and his soft eyes returned soon after. He requested that particular game often and I got creative in different ways to keep it challenging by trying to cover my scent and my tracks. He loved our little game and in the end, he always caught me. He'd be giggling as he dropped down off a tree, landing right in front of me, but the moment his hands met my body, all bets were off and my sweet, slightly clueless Goku was no where to be seen as that animalistic side took over.

His Super Saiyan Four self was very much _not amused_ by my little game as evidenced by the almost pained expression on his face half way between a scowl and a grimace and looked like he very much wanted to skip the foreplay and jump straight onto… well… _me._

Poor Goku looked positively… starved. And very, very irritated.

Goodness knows one must _never_ get in the way of a hungry saiyan and his food. But one must _never_ get in the way of a hungry saiyan and his _food._ That was exactly what I did. I denied him – at least for the time being – the very thing he needed to sate his appetite: Me.

I stuck my tongue out at him before whirling around and sprinting off into the trees, with no clue where I was going.

He snarled so loud it was almost a roar. His deep, velvety voice reached me through the trees. "Oh, so _that's_ how you want to be!?"

My heart pounded as I heard fast footfalls race into the woods after me.

I was almost truly afraid. _What_ had I gotten myself into?

I dodged and weaved through the trees as fast as my legs could carry me, very thankful I had maintained my great shape.

I came to a particularly large oak deep in the woods and darted up to it. I immediately pressed my back into its rough bark as I worked to catch my breath, my heart galloping away in my chest.

"This is a very _dangerous_ game you're playing, Chichi."

My blood ran cold.

I could have sworn he was right on the other side of that trunk. His voice was low with a very un-Goku-like menacing edge.

I had not heard him approach. The breeze had me upwind of him, but it didn't matter. Goku had other ways of tracking me. When he was in hunting mode, he was utterly undetectable by mere mortals and impossible to escape. I hated to think of whatever added advantages that new transformation of his had given him.

I had no chance, but still I had to try. I started that little game. And I was determined to give him something to hunt.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Goku had taught me a little _ki_ sensing. My sense would never be as finely tuned as his was, but I could at least sense those around me. I berated myself for not trying that sooner.

He was _directly_ on the other side of the trunk from me. I sensed him shift a foot forward to sneak around it toward me.

I blew out a breath and quickly planned out my next move.

I darted around the tree, around the other side from where I knew Goku was waiting. I was rewarded to see him disappear around the trunk seconds later after I had left my hiding place.

His tail trailed behind.

I rushed forward, grabbed it, and gave it a good strong tug.

Like in the clearing, his knees hit the ground and he roared like a frustrated lion.

I whirled around and – feeling especially bold – called over my shoulder as I raced away, "That was careless, Goku!"

My eyes casted around for another hiding place as I sprinted through the woods, each footfall echoing off the trees.

I came to a large ravine with plenty of smaller ones branching off. I picked one at random that was _just_ wide enough for me to slip through. I had to be careful with my strides lest I raked my shoulders along the rough, jagged walls of rock and dirt around me. I ran until I reached the end of it, and pressed my back into the rough, cold rock.

I caught my breath then froze as I heard a snarl.

That snarl was _not_ Goku's.

My eyes darted around, my heart beating at a quick, nervous pace.

I looked up and straight into the hungry yellow eyes of a wolf standing at the edge of the narrow ravine five feet above me. Five more pairs of eyes appeared to stare down at me over the edge, their teeth bared. Their hot, stinky drool splattered down on me, steaming in the cool air of the deep woods.

I could have taken one or two wolves easily. How would I have faired against six large and very hungry wolves? I didn't have a prayer. If they attacked me one at a time, then I'd simply take them down one at a time. Having observed enough hunts during walks with Goku, I knew wolves work as a team and wouldn't attack me until they could all work together.

They instinctively realized the deep, narrow ravine I was in was only big enough for one to attack at a time. For the time being, I was safe as long as I didn't leave that spot.

I crossed my arms as I attempted to come up with a strategy as the wolves continued to stare down at me and dribble their disgusting, hot, stinky drool on my head and shoulders.

I walked forward, intending to peek into the main ravine fifteen feet back the way I came, when a louder snarl reached my ears.

That snarl echoed through the ravine. I heard the wet sound of jaws smacking seconds before I saw it. A wolf had stalked in after me. It called back and forth in sickeningly excited yips with its pack on top of the ravine.

Well, one wolf I could take. As long as the others didn't join in, I thought I might just get out of there alive. The wolves thought I was an easy meal so they only sent one of their own after me.

The drooling wolf in the ravine with me settled down on his haunches, bunching up his muscles to spring at me.

I shifted into a ready martial arts stance and flowed into my first attack at the same time the wolf released its tension and sprang up at me. I ducked down and – with quick reflexes honed by years of training to maintain my shape – slammed a fist into the beast's gut as it sailed harmlessly over me.

It crashed hard into the wall of rock just a few feet behind me and fell limp. Either unconscious or dead, I wasn't sure. I wasn't going to wait around to find out.

I sprinted toward the opening of the narrow ravine as I heard the sound of claws scraping dirt. My feet pushed on, faster, spurred on by the icy panic clutching my heart. Angry snarls sounded just feet behind me and I wasn't sure if I was just imagining feeling their hot breath on me or if I really _was_ feeling their hot breath on me.

They were close. Much too close.

I ran like a bat out of hell out of the opening of the narrow ravine and slammed into a solid wall of fur-covered muscle. A comfortingly familiar arm locked around me, saving me from bouncing off the wall of muscle from the force of my impact.

I felt a crackle in the air and buried my face in his warm chest to shield my eyes from the bright light of a small _ki_ blast aimed and fired at the wolves.

I pulled my head back and turned just in time to see the remaining five wolves flying through the air with their tails between their legs and loudly howling their terror.

I turned my head back to look up into the face of my rescuer.

Amused eyes found mine.

I raised a very much _not_ amused eyebrow. "And just where have _you_ been this whole time?"

He smiled a sheepish sort of smile that made him look much more like the Goku I was used to despite his… severe new visage. "I… was watching. I was going to help you when you needed it and I did. You were doing so well by yourself until the other five decided to round on you."

My temper flared up.

He dropped his face so his lips tickled my ear, sending goose bumps up and down my spine. "Nice punch by the way."

"I _swear_ , Son Goku, if you're trying to butter me up, I'll–!"

I never got to finish that sentence because warm lips hungrily found mine as his strong arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me up so my face was level with his. In fact, thought became a more and more difficult thing as his lips left mine and worked their way down my exposed neck, awakening feelings that had lain dormant for over a year. A soft moan slipped out of my lips.

He paused to look at me, his face flushed. The expression he wore just about sent chills down my spine, for he eyed me briefly every bit as hungrily as those wolves had and attacked my lips in a voracious and fiery kiss once more.

I twitched involuntarily as I felt something else wrap firmly around my waist in addition to his arms as we kissed deeply. I dropped a hand to investigate and found his tail, the thing that was responsible for the whole mess I got myself into. I gave it a gentle squeeze and he stiffened as a deep, throaty growl emanated from the man holding me and reverberated through my bones.

With lightning speed, it unwound from my waist and curled firmly but gently around my wrist.

It held my hand there to keep me from trying any more sneaky attacks against his weakness.

I felt his tail release my wrist as he pulled away from our kiss and his eyes burned into mine, his teeth bared slightly in a feral half-snarl half-smile, and breathing hard. The tip of his tail twitched like a cat's ready to pounce on its prey and that was exactly what he was about to do.

He lifted us up into the sky and flew toward the clearing he had first led me to.

As soon as our feet touched down, he attacked my lips once more and with a few loud rips, our clothing was discarded. Goku usually knew better than to do that, but I decided to give him a pass that one time, since apparently that new transformation of his made certain primal instincts apparently very, very strong.

 _I suppose I_ am _still young and pretty enough for him,_ was my last coherent thought to myself as he pulled us down on the soft bed of wild flowers and electric sparks crackled around us.

 _Always, Chichi._

I froze for just a second and then melted back into our deep kiss.


	2. Instincts

_**Part II: Instincts**_

I soared through the sky, on my way home from my spar with Vegeta having ended it early like I promised Chichi I would. Excitement surged through me and I kicked in an extra burst of speed.

I was a kid again and had been for about a year. I thought I was around twelve or so – the same age I was when Chichi and I first met all those years ago. That had to have been… what? Nearly fifty years ago?

I thought I was finally going home for good after training Uub. I had no idea I would run into Emperor Pilaf and his gang and that he would summon the Black Star Dragon to make me a kid again. On top of that, I had to leave again to save the planet!

I had explained to Chichi my being a kid again was an accident. She was still pretty upset with it, but understood I really didn't have any control over it. With no way to undo the accidental wish, I had to just grow up again. I didn't mind it too much, but there were some things I missed about being an adult.

I had my tail and with it, a new transformation. A transformation I could use whenever I wanted to.

I touched down in my front yard and stepped inside my home of the last four decades of my life.

"Chichi! I'm home!"

"Hi, Goku. I'm in the kitchen."

As I walked into the kitchen, my stomach growled.

She turned and smiled amusedly at me as I rubbed the back of my neck heat rushing up to my cheeks. "Heh – heh."

"I take it you're hungry."

I nodded, smiling brightly at the prospect of food _._ Not just any food, but her cooking!

She turned, opened the fridge and dug around, pulling out an armload of all kinds of yummy stuff. She put the pile of containers on the counter and grabbed a couple of pots out of the cabinet and set them on the stove.

As she cooked, the smells reached me. I didn't even have to see what it was to know that what she was making was my absolute favorite. I absently wiped some drool off my chin as she shut the stove off and dished me up.

She placed dishes filled with all of my favorite foods in front of me and I dug in, shoveling bite after delicious bite into my mouth, pausing only to drain my cup of tea that she kept refilled.

Finally, I put my chopsticks down and rubbed my stomach as I leaned back in my chair. "That was great! Thanks, Chichi!"

"You're welcome, Goku."

I let out a mighty belch.

She put her hands on her hips, like she always did when she was annoyed with me. "Excuse you, buster. Remember, that _does not_ belong at my table!"

I just laughed lightly. "Oops! Sorry, Chichi!"

She rolled her eyes and turned away from me, but not before I saw her lips start to twitch.

I pushed my chair back from the table. "Thanks for the meal! Want to go for a walk with me? I could use some sunlight after that."

She turned to face me. "Sure, Goku. Let me get this cleaned up, then we will go."

"Okay! Then I can show you my surprise for you!"

She stacked up some dishes and carried them to the sink and got to work scrubbing them.

I decided to help so things would go faster and we could get out the door sooner. I stacked some dishes on the table. Then added more and more. I carefully placed the last dish on top of my towering stack and tried to pick it up.

"Goku–!"

I slid it off the table with ease, keeping an eye on the top and took one careful step forward and then another. The top of the stack swayed slightly, then the motion grew with each step I took.

"Don't worry, Chichi!"

That wasn't working too well. I swayed as I walked, trying to keep the stack balanced. Every step only made things worse. I didn't even want to imagine Chichi's reaction if I broke the entire stack. I lifted carefully a foot into the air and flew painfully slowly to the sink, the stack much steadier. I sat the stack in the other side of the sink and I could feel her staring at me.

I glanced up at Chichi to see her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide.

I was very proud of myself. I didn't break a single one!

She closed her mouth as her lips lifted and she grinned at me, and then giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing."

I shrugged, lifted myself up into the air – about eye level with Chichi – grabbed a scouring pad and started scrubbing, working in the warm, soapy water. Everything was going fine. She was happy and so was I.

That was until soap made things slippery and a dish slipped out of my hands and fell to the floor before I could grab it, shattering into a hundred pieces on impact.

I nervously glanced at Chichi as she turned to face me, a scowl on her pretty face and put my eyes back on the floor, back on the shattered remains of one of our plates.

I dropped out of the air. "Sorry, Chichi! I was just trying to be helpful!"

I looked up at her again to see surprise flash across her face and then her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

She stared at me a little while longer. I knew that look well. She was waiting for me to explain myself.

Before I could think of anything to say, she jumped to her own conclusion. She gasped slightly. "What is it this time? Is there another hugely powerful bad guy out there threatening the planet? Do you have to _leave_ again?"

I stared at my shoes as I tried to figure out what to say to her so I wouldn't give her any clues to the surprise I had planned for her – and to hide the excited smile growing on my face.

"You really _are_ leaving again, aren't you?"

Her tone was so soft and I could hear the hurt in her voice. My lips immediately drooped. I snapped my head back up to look at her crestfallen face, tears already gathering in her big, dark eyes.

I've done more than enough of that in our years together.

I lifted myself just a couple of feet off the floor so we were eyelevel and stared her in the eye.

"I'm _not_ going anywhere, Chichi."

The tears that had gathered in her eyes dried up instantly and that suspicious look returned. "Then what is it, Goku? You're hiding something."

I turned and dashed out of the kitchen and outside, but not before calling over my shoulder, "I already told you! It's a surprise! If you come with me, you'll find out."

Her quick footsteps grew closer and then she stepped out the front door. "Whenever you're done with this little game you're playing, you _will_ help me with the dishes! Heaven help you if you break one more, Son Goku!"

I held my hands up. "I promise, I'll help you with the dishes. Now come on! Let's go!"

I was excited as I ran off into the woods, excited to see her reaction.

I led her through the woods, weaving through the well-worn game trail. She effortlessly kept pace with me, never tiring or falling too far behind. She was in excellent shape and I suspected she even kept up with her training some when I wasn't looking.

The trail I chose ended at a nice little clearing full of wildflowers blooming with all kinds of bright, pretty colors. I knew she would love it there.

She didn't notice me quickly turn and dash into the woods again just as she made it into the clearing.

I ran several paces into the woods, then once I was sure I was far enough, flew as fast as I could to the other side of the mountain.

I landed in a more plain clearing than the one I left Chichi in just a minute before. Just as well. Nothing growing there would survive what I was about to do.

I summoned my power as a primal scream tore out of my throat and I squeezed my eyes shut. I heard my voice deepening as my body grew. I felt my bones lengthening, the tendons and ligaments stretching with them and I felt my muscles bulging to bigger than what they were before that wish.

Finally, my transformation was over. I opened my eyes and blinked a few times to clear my vision. My eyes were so sharp. I could see tiny detail in things I couldn't see before. My hearing was extremely sensitive in that form, too. I bet I could give Piccolo a run for his money.

The best part was, my perspective of the world around me changed. It was just like how I remembered things looking before that wish.

I closed my eyes as I concentrated on the _ki_ of my wife – confusion and hurt radiating out of her – and when I opened them, I found myself in shadow just on the edge of the clearing. I felt a little bad for putting her through that, but she'd forget all about that soon enough.

Suddenly, my breath hitched in my nose – those danged flowers! – and I nearly blew my cover, but pinched my nose just in time and blew out a silent, relieved breath as my nose stopped tingling.

Predators should never sneeze.

I watched her look around a little bit nervously. Maybe she felt me watching her. I was too curious to see what she would do next to expose myself just yet. She seemed to be looking around for a safe spot from whatever predator she thought was watching her.

Her back to me, her gaze settled on some trees and it looked like she was getting ready to make a run for it.

I stepped out of the clearing and floated through the air to approach her as silently as possible, touching down about fifteen feet behind her.

She seemed to sense my presence because she turned very slowly on the spot. As soon as she laid eyes on me, I watched her face turn pale as she clapped a hand over her mouth.

She stared at me, her hand still covering her mouth, eyes like saucers. She even took a slow step back.

I didn't move. I didn't want to startle her too badly.

Sometimes a particularly… loud thought of hers would drift into my head.

Sasquatch. She actually thought I was Sasquatch for a second there.

I worked hard to bite back a guffaw at that one. There would be time for that later. I planned to never let her live it down.

I didn't feel the need to hide my smile, though.

Her eyes moved up and down my body, as slowly, her terrified expression shifted into a slightly confused look.

Then, her beautiful eyes met mine. Recognition flashed across her face. She knew in that moment exactly who she was looking at.

She mouthed my name.

I watched her lovingly. "Hi, Chichi."

She took one slightly hesitant step forward, followed by another one. I was still afraid to move. She approached me like a timid but curious doe, where one twitch could send her scurrying off into the woods. I did my best impression of a statue and made sure to keep my gaze soft.

Finally, she was close enough to reach out and touch me, so she did. Her light touch as she explored my new form sent shivers up my spine. Her touch started low on my abdomen then moved up to my pectorals and stroked the exposed skin there for a short while.

She brought her other hand up to rest on my chest as her other hand ran across to my shoulder and slowly down to my hand. When our hands met, I gently wrapped my fingers around hers and she squeezed my hand.

The hand that was on my chest left and reached up to hold my cheek and brush my shaggy bangs out of my eyes. She ran her small, delicate fingers through as much of my hair as she could reach. My eyes drifted closed as I found myself melting into her touch, relaxing completely.

Her hand that was on my arm left and I wondered what she was going to explore next, but I didn't have to wonder for long.

My eyes popped wide open as an electric current surged through me and I felt my body stiffen almost painfully as her small hand wrapped around the tip of my tail. My jaw clenched as I stared down at her. I fought the urge to clench my other hand still holding hers but didn't need to fight it for long. The moment she released me, my hand clenched into a fist so tight, my nails dug into my flesh.

With that simple contact, _need_ reared up in me and I was almost ready to take her right then and there. The sensation took me by complete surprise, but I fought it, just for the time being.

She brought her other hand down from working magic on my head to start stroking the tip of my tail, each stroke sending electric tingles that radiated from my tail, up my spine, hitting the top of my head and back down again all the way to my toes and everywhere in between.

She looked back up at me, a small, seductive smile tugging on her lips.

It was pure _torture._

It was all I could do to snarl, "Careful with that," my warning clear as day. If she didn't stop what she was doing I'd…

She tugged and I saw stars. Forget tingles. I felt like I had just walked into an electric fence and my knees buckled, my legs going numb and turning into jelly from the electricity surging through me. My knees hit the ground, hard as every last nerve ending in me burned and crackled like an out-of-control live wire.

My resolve shattered. I really could _not_ wait another second.

I forced my gaze back up to her face and snarled through my teeth both aloud and into her head, " _Come. Here. Now."_

My arms shot out to grab her, but she sprang nimbly backwards just a couple of steps and I missed her by inches, thanks to her quick martial arts reflexes.

Irritation surged through me. I _needed_ her. Right that second. And – of course – she chose that moment to play _that_ game with me.

She stuck her tongue out at me, whirled away and sprinted off into the woods, her speed every bit as impressive as it was when she was younger.

After a minute of trying to refocus my dazed head and force my legs to work, I rose on slightly wobbly legs and half ran, half staggered after her into the woods. As I staggered after her probably looking for all the world like a drunk Sasquatch, I wondered how the heck she could have had that effect on me. I had trained my tail. It wasn't the weakness it was when I was a child – a real child and not a man-turned-child. A light touch from her was… intensely electrifying. And I loved it.

I caught up to her, tracking her by her indefinable, sweet smell, my sensitive nose picking up facets to it I had never noticed before.

I lightly placed my palm on the trunk of a large oak, my nose telling me she waited just on the other side. I felt her pulse through the tree, her heart thudding hard and heard her hard breathing that she tried to keep quiet. She was almost actually scared like an animal running from a predator. I could smell her fear mixing with her sweet smell, that fear pulling still more instincts out of me. Not instincts to hurt her but to do… _things_ to her.

She drove me wild and she didn't even know. Or maybe she did, if that little game she started was anything to go by.

With my hand pressed to the rough bark of the large oak, I snarled another warning. "This is a very _dangerous_ game you're playing, Chichi."

I felt her heart skip a beat and I smirked a smirk Vegeta would have been proud of.

I shifted a foot forward silently to sneak around one side of the tree and grab her. I was finally going to have my prize.

I shivered at the thought.

I moved another foot forward and took slow, silent steps around the wide trunk, my arms slightly outstretched.

I rounded the trunk. I was just about there… one more step and…

Once again, small, delicate hands wrapped around the tip of my tail and that electrifying sensation burned through my veins again and I gasped.

She tugged harder even than in the clearing and my knees hit the dirt as dazzling stars exploded in my eyes. I roared in frustration as I went down, well beyond words or any sort of coherent thought, beyond one thing: _Hunger._

After a minute, I recovered. I blinked quickly to clear my vision. The wind shifted as I blinked to get rid of the stars, bringing strong whiffs of her scent to me. One whiff made my eyes roll up in the back of my head.

Staggering again, I took off after her.

I came to a small ravine, her scent trail disappearing into a particularly narrow opening branching off of one side. She got herself cornered. That wasn't really the best move of her, but it was great for me! She had nowhere to go and I'd have her in seconds.

Or so I thought before I heard a snarl up on top of the ravine. I lifted myself into the air to see five wolves staring down and snarling into a narrow crack that branched off of the small ravine.

The same one her scent trail disappeared into.

A powerful instinct to beat the wolves senseless roared through me. My mate was in danger, but I still had _a little_ reason left. I wanted to watch and see what she'd do first. I could easily step in and save her if things got too dicey, so I crossed my arms and watched. I extended my _ki_ sensing to watch for any more wolves or other predators in the area, but there was nothing but a small heard of deer several yards away. I wished the wolves would go after them instead.

Maybe the wolves thought my mate made an easier meal. They didn't realize they'd have one very _angry_ saiyan on them if they harmed one hair on her head. Wolf meat was very good eating, but I would have been angry enough that there probably wouldn't have been even a single bite left by the time I would have been through with them. Not a single bite because they would be ashes, if that.

My _ki_ sensing alerted me to another wolf winding its way into the ravine and straight into the crack Chichi hid in. I flew the short distance so I was directly above her but quite a ways up. Her attention was focused on the wolf staring her down with its sharp teeth bared. She didn't notice me.

She was nervous. I could sense that. I could smell it. I knew her abilities. She could take a single wolf and probably down the entire pack if they attacked her one at a time, but that wasn't how wolf packs worked.

She eyed the one in front of her calculatingly, remaining very calm. I loved seeing her use her skill. It was sort of a rare treat and always impressive.

The wolf moved closer and she slid into a ready stance, poised to attack.

The wolf bent its haunches, its muscles coiled and ready to spring, it's jaws open in wait, ready for what it thought would be an easy meal.

It released the tension and sprang through the air, snarling, but she was ready. In a graceful and very strong display as it sailed toward her, she dropped low to the ground and rammed a fist into the beast's gut and the spark of its life energy flickered out and I blew out the breath I didn't realize I held. The hapless animal crashed into the rocky wall behind her, dead, as she sprinted back out the way she came.

My wife killed a wolf with one blow! She amazed me!

Then it was time for me to step in. The remaining five slid one-by-one down the steep, rocky wall, growling, and dashed after her. She was more than a match for a single wolf, but five? She didn't stand a chance.

Luckily for her, I was more than a match for five lousy wolves.

I Instant Transmissioned directly in front of her as she sprinted out the way she went in and she slammed into me. I locked one arm around her as I brought the other up and she buried her face in my chest as I charged a small blast. I released it and all five wolves sailed through the air, their tails between their legs. They howled in high-pitched terrified whines as they sailed through the air and crashed back down yards away. She would be the last human they ever messed with.

She looked up at me and I stared down at her, an amused smile playing at the corners of my lips.

She raised a threatening, irritated eyebrow at me. "And just where have _you_ been this whole time?"

My amused smile turned sheepish and I knew I had to choose my words _very_ carefully. "I… was watching. I was going to help you when you needed it and I did. You were doing so well by yourself until the other five decided to round on you."

I felt her anger flare up, her _ki_ actually spiking slightly with it.

I lowered my head and grazed her ear with my lips. "Nice punch, by the way."

"I _swear_ , Son Goku, if you're trying to butter me up, I'll–!"

Her _ki_ spiked higher and I knew I was in deep trouble. I could _not_ , under any circumstances, let her finish that thought, scared to find out what she would have denied me next – like my food – so I did the only thing I could think of.

I crushed my lips on hers, the contact reminding me just how _hungry_ I was and immediately went deeper. Swept up in the moment, I easily lifted her off her feet so our faces were level and kissed a path down the sweet tasting, very soft skin of her neck and she let out a soft moan.

I stopped for air and stared at her for a moment, my chest heaving. My teeth were slightly bared, my breath hissing between them. Our lips crashed together once more, that same electricity as before washed through me, burning me, intense and driving me wild.

I felt my tail curl around her waist with a mind of its own and she twitched at the contact. I felt her hand wrap around my tail and squeeze gently, making my heart pound hard. I stiffened and the deep growl that slipped out of my lips was completely involuntary as I quickly unwound my tail from her waist and wrapped firmly around her wrist, putting a stop to her games.

In that moment, I set a new rule: The tail was _off limits._ It made me lose control. It made my instincts _way_ too strong. My instincts as a Super Saiyan 4 were always a little more… animalistic and _a lot_ harder to ignore. My instinctive urge to fight wasn't the only instinct made more powerful by my new transformation. Not by a long shot.

Some part of me was aware she probably wouldn't respect that rule and – if I was being honest with myself – I didn't want her to.

What Chichi did to my senses in that transformation… was mind-blowing. With her so close to me… her sweet breath, the sweet taste of her lips lingering on my tongue, her silky hair, knowing exactly what that amazing body of hers looked like under all those layers of clothing… everything that made Chichi, well, Chichi made an overwhelming, unexpected _need_ roar to the surface. Need that was _impossible_ to ignore.

I was a little nervous I might hurt her in that form. I was worried about that as a regular Super Saiyan in that week just before the Cell Games, but she trusted me completely and didn't have to work hard at all to convince me to give a certain something a try. They say practice makes perfect. I was positive I could control myself. It didn't take her long at all to adjust to that form and it took her even less time to adjust to this one.

Next thing I knew, I had my arms wrapped securely and protectively – and might I add, possessively – around her and we were in the air flying toward that little clearing where Chichi started that game of cat and mouse. I was so lost in my instincts I didn't realize I had done that until we were nearly to the clearing.

I angled down toward it and gently landed us on our feet in the clearing and then I was on her. My lips attacked hers voraciously and my hands immediately started wondering up and down the sides of her toned waist and everywhere else I could reach. I was suddenly very irritated with the layers of our clothing separating her skin from mine so I ripped them away, and we were finally fully revealed to each other.

A thought that wasn't my own ghosted into my mind, leaving as quickly as it came: _I suppose I_ am _still young and pretty enough for him._

I had just enough reason left in me to form one last coherent thought before I gently pulled us down on the wildflowers and electric sparks crackled through the air around us as my appetite was finally sated: _Always, Chichi._

I felt her stiffen for just a second before melting back into me and I felt a small smile form on her pretty face through our kiss.


	3. Bonus Chapter! The Wish

Here's a bonus chapter that doesn't really fit the main plot of Adjustments and Instincts but something I thought I'd throw in just because. I wrote it kind of late at night when I wanted to take a break from writing a novel-length fanfic. Enjoy!

* * *

 _ **Part III: The Wish**_

She drifted off for a nap, facing me. My arm on the ground cradled her head while the other was wrapped snugly around her lithe waist, our fronts pressed together. She pressed her icy toes into mine, seeking warmth, and I wrapped my feet around hers.

She sighed happily in her sleep and I smiled a small smile before I drifted off for a short nap, too.

When I awoke, it was midafternoon and Chichi was still sound asleep in my arms.

There _definitely_ werethings I missed about being an adult. What happened in that clearing was high on that list. I missed being snuggled up together in bed and just sleeping like that at night.

I could use that form whenever I wanted to, but I couldn't just _live_ that way. That would have been far too big of a drain on me. I could already feel my energy running low. I had been in that form too long already. I was minutes away from being a child again.

For the first time since that wish on the Black Star Dragon Balls was made, I felt a little frustrated, but I couldn't do anything about it except just grow up again.

Shenron couldn't do anything for me. That wasn't for lack of effort. He couldn't undo a wish granted by the Black Star dragon. That dragon was stronger than Shenron. Shenron couldn't help me, but maybe he could help Chichi.

I argued back and forth with myself for a while. Chichi had always insisted on not using wishes for herself. She felt it was selfish of her, always saying something like 'What if an emergency comes up and we really need to make a wish but we can't because the Dragon Balls were already used?'. No matter how hard I tried to talk her into using a wish for herself, she wouldn't do it. That was one that definitely _wouldn't_ be selfish of her.

Not if I made it as a gift.

I watched her pretty sleeping face, and – my mind made up – carefully lifted her up and carried her back inside and up to our bedroom, hoping she stayed asleep until I was well on my way to Capsule Corp. She did stay asleep as I placed her carefully on the bed.

My energy was out. I could feel my transformation slipping away already. I quickly grabbed a change of clothes for my small form, grabbed a small, empty canvas bag sitting on a chair, and slipped out of the open window not a second too late. The moment I was outside, I felt myself shrink.

I flew some distance away to get dressed in the woods and headed toward Capsule Corp. Instant Transmission was another thing I missed. I had to power up to use that move. I was too out of energy to maintain my new form but still had just enough to fly. I was happy about that. I was way too excited about what I had planned to walk all the way there.

After about half an hour, I touched down on the front porch of the large mansion and stepped inside of the giant sitting room that was almost the size of my entire house. I felt Bulma's energy somewhere deep inside the mansion.

"What do you want, Kakarot? Looking for a fight?"

Vegeta had entered the room from one of the many hallways branching off.

"Oh! Hey, Vegeta! No, not this time. Actually, I'm looking for Bulma."

"The woman is in her lab. Why?"

"I need the Dragon Ball Radar. There's a wish I want to make."

His permanent scowl seemed to soften just slightly as he raised an eyebrow in curiosity. He twitched his shoulders and walked off, motioning for me to follow him. He led me through a maze of hallways and down a couple flights of stairs.

Finally, he stopped in front of a particularly heavy looking door and placed his hand on some kind of scanner. The door slid into the wall with a hiss and immediately beeps and whirring and all kinds of noises assaulted my ears and I wondered how anyone could get any work done in there at all with all the noise. Apparently, Bulma could.

"Woman! The third-class clown wants to speak with you!"

Her voice floated above the din from somewhere deep in her large lab. "Oh! Hi, Goku! What brings you here?"

A minute later, my long time friend emerged from the room packed with all kinds of wires and computers wearing a slightly dirty white lab coat with a pen tucked over an ear and a clipboard and notepad tucked under one arm and smiling down at me.

"Hi, Bulma! I'm here for the Dragon Ball Radar."

"Ah! Just a second."

She disappeared back into her lab for a moment and then came back a minute later with the little round radar.

She tossed it to me. "There you are! So… what are you going to wish for? Oh! Did you figure out a way to wish yourself back into your real age?"

She watched me curiously. I knew Vegeta was staring at me, too. I sensed him right behind me.

"Um… no. It's not that."

"Come on, Goku! What is it? You're blushing! Okay, now I _have_ to know. Tell me!"

Dang it. Instant Transmission would have _really_ come in handy right then.

I blew out a breath and explained my plan, leaving out what happened earlier that day.

Bulma's eyes watered slightly, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Vegeta scoffed. "What? The harpy not performing?"

Bulma promptly whacked him one upside the head with the handle of a conveniently located broom and I was thankful because I wasabout ready to punch him myself.

I was a little surprised the broom didn't shatter on impact. Chichi had tried that with me once when we were newlyweds. I ticked her off enough that she grabbed our broom and smacked me with it. I barely felt it, but the broom was reduced to splinters. Bulma's broom only bent a little bit. Must have been made out of the same mysterious stuff as Chichi's frying pan.

Vegeta very much felt that one if his wince and pained grunt were anything to go by and Bulma sent an epic death-glare at her husband. "One more word out of you, Vegeta and you'll be going _without_ your dinner tonight!"

That shut him up.

She turned back to me with a fresh smile on her face. "That's sweet, Goku. I think she'll love that. Well, I've got a project I want to finish. I may be retired and Trunks may be President of Capsule Corp, but I still have ideas in my head and inventions I want to build! Good luck, Goku!"

I waved. "Thanks, Bulma!"

She leveled another dangerous-looking glare at Vegeta and I was suddenly struck with the double meaning of Bulma's threat. I smirked to myself as I turned around and headed back out the way I went in.

Once outside, I kicked off into the air and stopped to hover about a mile above West City, and clicked the radar.

With a beep, it came to life. Several bright yellow blips flashed on the small screen and I was happy one wasn't far from me. There was also one near home somewhere on our own mountain. The others were scattered across all corners of the globe. Those were by far the two closest. The rest were thousands of miles away. With flying as fast as I could, I could have all seven by the end of the day.

I set course for the closest ball, only about sixty miles south of me.

Suddenly, a new idea struck me. If I went to Korin's Tower to see if he would give me a senzu bean, I could do the entire thing as a Super Saiyan 4 and have the Dragon Balls that much faster!

I changed course and headed straight for the Tower, a few hundred miles out of my way, but I didn't care. If I could transform, I could easily make up that lost time. When I got there, he had a bag full of beans ready, but I only needed one, which I ate right away. I took another to tuck into my sash just in case and headed on my way.

I jumped off the tower and let myself savor the sensation of freefalling for a minute, then kicked in my _ki_ and shot off faster than a rocket. The ground was a blur below me.

Those tiny beans never let me down.

I powered up as I flew, loving the sensation of my body growing with my transformation.

Within just a few minutes, I hovered a few feet above the first ball's location, about sixty miles south of West City.

My sharp eyes caught a glint between two rocks and I dropped down. I easily pushed the rocks – that ended up being small boulders – apart and had my prize.

It was the four-star ball. Figures. The first ball I found was Grandpa's ball and one I kept when I was lucky enough to find it because it reminded me of him. I took that as a good omen, that the little plan of mine was the right course of action.

I smiled to myself as I zoomed toward the next ball, the four-star ball tucked securely in the bag I grabbed. The flashing blip of the radar said it was on the far side of the mountain range of my house. I looked down, tracing the river that ran through the area with my eyes, looking for one particular creek. I found that creek and followed that to my house.

My _ki_ sensing told me Chichi was busy in the kitchen, my sharp nose picking up the first whiffs of dinner. My stomach rumbled at the prospect of food, but I had one important thing to take care of first. It was one of the rare times I ignored my stomach.

I passed over the house – Chichi none the wiser – and glanced at the radar, the flashing blip much brighter and I knew I was getting close. I also knew I was entering dinosaur territory. I'd have to tread carefully because it was nesting season.

I glanced at the radar. The ball was right under me so I looked down.

Naturally, it was in a dinosaur's nest – belonging to one _very_ angry, _very_ protective meat-eater. I didn't want to upset the poor momma for longer than I needed to, so I darted in and grabbed the dragon ball before she even realized anything was taken. She roared her frustration, but I was already long gone, her roar nothing more than a distant rumble.

I had the four-star ball and the six-star ball. Five more.

I clicked the radar. The next closest blip was about one thousand miles away. In a flare of _ki,_ I was off.

Collecting the rest proved uneventful and sure enough, when the sun was just barely beginning to set, I stuck the last ball in my bag, touched two fingers to my forehead and rematerialized silently in the kitchen, the bag full of dragon balls held behind my back.

Her back was to me as she stood stirring dinner on the stove. Maybe I could have a little fun with her. Get her back for pulling on my tail. Speaking of which… I securely wrapped my tail around my waist, something that I had seen Vegeta and the other two saiyans do with theirs many years ago. It seemed a good way to keep it protected in fights – and protected from overly playful mates.

I ghosted across the kitchen, her back still to me. My hands reached out, ready to tickle her and just before my fingers made contact with a certain spot just inside her waist, she turned around.

"Don't even _think_ about it, Son Goku."

"How did you–?"

She smiled slyly. "I have my ways."

Her eyes dropped to my tail and I took a step back.

If she started _that_ again, we wouldn't leave the house until well into the next day and I was really excited to show her what I had planned.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. She tried to peek around my back. I shuffled back and forth, not letting her see behind me. It turned into an odd sort of dance as we darted back and forth.

"What are you hiding, Goku?"

"You'll see."

She raised an eyebrow.

She lunged forward and tried to grab my tail. My eyes bugged out of my head as I sprang up into the air. "Stop that!"

She missed me by inches. She always was quick for a human – that and I frequently let my guard down around her just out of habit.

She stared up at me where I had my fur covered back pressed against the ceiling – as much as it could be with a bulging bag of balls between it and the ceiling – and snickered. "What? Is the mighty Super Saiyan 4 afraid of his little human mate?"

I rolled my eyes slightly. "The mighty Super Saiyan 4 has really sensitive senses and you can't seem to leave my tail alone! If you keep grabbing at it like that we…"

I trailed off. I didn't have to finish. She knew what I meant.

She smiled seductively and wriggled an eyebrow before turning back to the stove and resuming stirring dinner.

Figuring it was safe, I hesitantly lowered myself back down to the floor.

I chuckled at the memory of earlier that day. "I _can't_ believe you thought I was _sasquatch_!"

"Can you blame me? My husband shows up covered in fur and looking like a starved animal."

I heard the smile in her voice and I finally let out the laugh I held in earlier from that and felt tears spring to my eyes from laughing so hard. Doubled over from laughing as I was, I wasn't paying attention to Chichi.

I let my guard down once again.

With all the speed she had, she darted behind me and snatched the bag out of my hand and ran to the table. She dumped the bag's contents out on our kitchen table – the balls scattering every which way – and leveled an intense glare at me as they dropped and I darted forward to catch them.

"Okay, Goku. Spill it. _Now._ "

I held placating hands up, hoping she wouldn't fly off the handle before I had a chance to explain.

"Chichi… that's… I wanted to surprise you…"

She sighed and her glare softened, but the expression that followed that was so much worse.

She was near tears.

"Goku… we've been _through_ this. You could wish me young again _now_ but what about eight or nine decades from now? Are you just going to keep wishing me young every time I grow old forever?"

I took a cautious step toward her. "Honey… I know that. But… if we make these two wishes I'm thinking of, we _wont_ haveto do this more than _once_!"

She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

I took another step toward her. "Just… trust me, okay?"

She sighed but nodded slowly, her eyes downcast. I walked the rest of the way to her and pulled her in for a hug, wrapping my tail snugly around her lithe waist and she hugged back. She was still so beautiful to me.

I kissed her forehead. "Let's go."

She pulled back. "But dinner's ready. It'll get cold."

"No, it won't. We wont be out long. We don't even need to leave the yard."

I put the dragon balls back in the bag I brought them home in, grabbed her hand, and led her outside.

Once outside, I stopped walking. I pulled the bag up to hang off my elbow, stepped in front of her and held my arms out.

She looked at me a little unsurely. It had been a while since we went flying together. Not just a little while, but years, I realized with a pang of guilt.

She walked up to me and I scooped her up bridal style and kicked off into the air,

making sure not to go too fast. I didn't want to scare her. We would be doing a lot more of that in the not too distant future and I wanted her to like flying with me. There were a lot of things we were going to do that we haven't been able to do in years. Flying together was just one thing on the list.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and I held her close. I was a little bit relieved to see there was no fear coming from her. She trusted me completely. I glanced at her face. She was actually smiling as she gazed around us and I couldn't fight my smile if I tried.

After only a minute, I dropped out of the air and landed in that same little clearing as where Chichi first got to know my new form earlier that day, the sun hanging low over the horizon.

I gently put the dragon balls on the ground and backed up a few paces. "Arise, mighty Shenron!"

The dragon balls glowed brilliant gold and the sky went dark. Seconds later, I sensed a massive power and a brilliant yellow, ever expanding lightning bolt shot up into the sky out of the dragon balls, taking the familiar form of Shenron himself.

Chichi stepped close to me, trembling slightly. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

His deep, booming, ancient voice reverberated through my bones. "Why have you awakened me?"

"We have two wishes we'd like granted."

"State your first wish."

"My first wish is for my wife Chichi to be young again."

Shenron's eyes glowed bright red and with a yelp, Chichi was engulfed in an intense yellow aura and lifted off her feet to hover several feet over my head.

Right before my eyes, what little grey there was in her hair turned glossy black, her short hair growing quickly to the length it was when we were newly weds. She had very few wrinkles to begin with, but her skin had a fresh, healthy glow to it and what few wrinkles there were disappeared. She was already strong and toned, but any effects aging had on her were undone as about forty years were taken off of her in the span of less than a minute.

Slowly, she dropped back to the ground, seemingly unconscious, the aura around her fading quickly. I reached my arms up and caught her, her head drooping onto my shoulder.

"It is done. State your final wish."

She stirred and I glanced down at her as her eyes fluttered open.

"Please give her the same lifespan as me."

She gasped.

I bit my lip, hoping Shenron could grant that kind of request. As powerful as he was, he did have limitations.

Once again, his eyes glowed red. "It is done. I have granted your wishes. Farewell."

I felt a relieved smile playing on the corners of my mouth. "Thanks, Shenron."

He didn't hear me. He had already turned back into that huge lightning bolt and dropped back into the dragon balls. The dragon balls lifted up into the sky and with another flash of light, zoomed away in opposite directions of each other and out of sight.

I looked back down at Chichi, looking at her a lot closer. "So… what do you think?"

I sat her on her feet and held her shoulders to make sure she was steady and then released her to let her look herself over, which she did.

She grabbed a chunk of her hair and pulled it in her face, seemingly watching it catch the last rays of the setting sun. She looked at her hands and reached up to touch her cheeks.

Her hands still on her cheeks, she gave me a small smile.

"See? Once I catch up to you, we'll grow old together!"

Her beautiful smile brightened. "Oh, Goku! Thank you! I love you!"

I grinned back. "Of course! I love you, too, Chichi!"

She jumped up, wrapped her arms around my neck and crushed her lips to mine. I wrapped my arms and my tail around her waist and we fell back on the bed of wildflowers. Neither of us got much sleep that night and I thanked my lucky stars I thought to grab that extra senzu bean.


End file.
